The present invention relates generally to computerized systems for electronically registering and holding a position in line and for tracking individuals whereabouts in real time. More specifically, the invention enables any group member of a predesignated group to search for the location, distance to, and direction of any other member in the same group; it also provides a means for electronically registering and holding a position in line without requiring the physical presence of the user. It is of particular use in a large amusement park or the like.
What is the most disliked aspect for a customer at a fast food restaurant? The answer is: "waiting in the line"! To the American public waiting in line whether it be for a restaurant, an administrative agency such as a Motor Vehicle Registry or an Unemployment Agency, or even in traffic is considered to be the most bothersome and useless waste of time to which one is subject. This most disliked of problems can at times be even worse in entertainment centers such as large amusement parks. At a typical large scale amusement park, such as Disney World or Busch Gardens, the incredibly long wait in a line at the more popular rides aggravates the park visitor even more. It is not unheard of to have an average wait from 40 minutes in the off-season to greater than 2 hours during peak season. This situation disappoints park guests since typically they have paid for expensive passes to visit the park and expect to enjoy park attractions, only to be subjected to aggravating lines. Often times a greater portion of the guest's time at the park is consumed by waiting in the line than is expended on accessing the park's attractions. For instance at Disney World in Orlando, Fla. the total waiting time for a visitor can easily run from 60 to 80 percent of the total park time.
A typical park guest at any amusement is likely to bring children along. For it is primarily the children that the park seeks to attract. One of the traits of most children is their inherent inability to remain inactive for long periods of time. Because park attractions typically require extensive waits prior to actually getting on the ride, children get fidgety from the inactivity and the parents get frustrated. To combat this, if at all possible, many parents permit their children to run around within their sight. However, this often results in the children running off or at least going out of direct sight of the parent. When this occurs, a parent becomes concerned, possibly even terrified. The stress associated with losing one's child can be intensified many times over since the parks are hundreds of times larger than other places one might lose a child, such as a drugstore. Furthermore, since the park is predominantly designed for children, there exist many more attractions which draw a child's attention away from his parents.
Although the concerns thus far discussed pertain to the park guests, it should be equally apparent that these same concerns exist for the park owners. Since it is often necessary to wait in line for each attraction, sufficient park real estate must be devoted to areas within which park guests can wait. Also, many potential guests who would otherwise enter the park are discouraged by the lines. By minimizing the bottlenecks caused by the lines, park revenues should increase.